Texans know a thing or two about the old west, but when writer Matt Pryor visited Dodge City he wrote, “Dodge put the wild in Wild West.” He wandered the red brick streets to get a feel of the history, but had the good sense to take advantage of some modern conveniences, too.

Fifty years ago, Dwight D. Eisenhower used a silver shovel to break ground for the presidential library in Abilene that would bear his name and hold his papers. He chose May 1st in 1962 as the dedication day for the new building because it would have been his mother’s 100th birthday.

Dorothy might not have been from Wamego, but the town has claimed her as its own. There you will find the Oz Museum. It has become a great place to visit for anyone with a love of the 1939 classic movie or the fairy tales written by Frank Baum that inspired it. Since opening in 2003, the museum has grown in popularity to attract nearly 30,000 visitors a year.

A Buffalo Soldier monument in Fort Leavenworth initiated our recent trek up the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway. The monument pays tribute to the 9th & 10th Cavalry Regiments. These groups of Black soldiers got their nickname in the Indian Wars. Native Americans said they were brave and fierce in battle - like the Buffalo. Since my son is a huge fan of the Civil War era Cavalry, this was a great way to start an historic and picturesque drive up the eastern edge of the state.

Each year, as cooler weather rolls into town, Atchison gets busy sending chills down your spine. The river town has a unique history. Louis & Clark landed here on July 4, 1804. Aviatrix Amelia Earhart called it home. It was once a major commercial and railroad center of the state. In recent years, however, Atchison has become better known for tales and legends of a darker kind – enough that is has earned the moniker “The Most Haunted Town in Kansas.” It has learned to wear it well as thousands of people flock there every fall to hear some of the dozens of ghost stories associated with the town’s beautiful homes and spaces.

Medicine Lodge celebrates Kansas history with a spectacular flair. Of course, since it is hometown to the flamboyant and tempestuous Carry A. Nation, it might not be surprising that the town knows how to get a point across.

There are so many interesting places to visit along the Frontier Military Scenic Byway, you really need to plan a few days to catch it all. The byway takes you along the border area between Kansas and Missouri. It roughly follows the old military road originally built to link Fort Leavenworth and Fort Scott with military installations further to the south. The area was a hotbed of activity during the Bleeding Kansas fight for statehood. Along the route you will find the site of the Marais des Cygnes massacre, a brutal attack that galvanized guerilla warfare between free-state and pro-slavery forces in territorial Kansas. Nearby Mine Creek Battlefield is the site of the only major Civil War battle fought in Kansas. This scenic byway is not all about the military though. You will find a Santa Fe Trail stop, a stately historic home, several parks and a cider mill. The drive is through a beautiful part of the state with lots of hills and trees as you head south out of Kansas City. It takes you past so many interesting stops you will surely find something to please everyone in the family.

Imagine walking 50 miles across a hostile prairie just to make sure the mail goes through. That was among the regular duties for infantry soldiers at Fort Larned in the 1860’s. The fort was among those constructed to protect commerce on the Santa Fe Trail. The trail was one of the most important trade routes in the United States, but hostilities with American Indians in the region made for dangerous travel in southwestern Kansas. Soldiers provided armed escort for mail stages and wagon trains. They participated in several small scale conflicts with tribes in the area, and when the Indian wars were ended, the fort served as a point of distribution for goods and supplies promised in the peace treaties.